stories from an amateur adventurer

Menu

Sometimes You Need Gentle Restorative Yoga

After my string of less-than-stellar workouts over the past few weeks (I blame you, Whole30!), I decided to try one of my favorite yoga classes at the Y. When I reached the door to the studio, I saw a sign stating that the original Power Yoga class (more advanced) was being replaced with Gentle Restorative Yoga (um, not so advanced).

And then I got a little snooty. I want to sweat! I want a workout! I debated going back to my car to get my sneakers and taking a different class, when I bumped into a yoga instructor I knew. And then we had a conversation like this:

Nora: Should I take Gentle Restorative Yoga?
Instructor: Oh definitely. It’s a great class.
Nora: It is going to be boring?
Instructor: No way.
Nora: Will it be all elderly people? (Do I sound like a jerk or what? But the Y really does offer classes meant for ages 65+.)
Instructor: Haha, no. Go do it.

And I so I did. And then I ate crow all class. I seemed to have forgotten that I hadn’t done yoga in a few months, but my body reminded me as I went into my first down dog. I had also apparently forgotten the point of yoga in the first place. Yoga can certainly make you sweat, and burn calories, but first and foremost it is about coming to your mat and responding to what your body needs in that moment, regardless of the name of the class. And that day, despite my snooty mind, my body needed gentle restorative yoga.